The present invention relates generally to stationery products, and, more specifically, to adhesive labels.
The ubiquitous adhesive label is available in a myriad of configurations for use in various applications, including specialty applications. The typical adhesive label includes pressure sensitive adhesive on its back side initially laminated to an underlying release liner. The release liner is typically coated with silicone to provide a weak bond with the adhesive for permitting the individual removal of labels from the liner when desired.
Adhesive labels may be found in individual sheets, or joined together in a fan-fold stack, or in a continuous roll. Label rolls are typically used in commercial applications requiring high volume use of labels.
More specifically, in the fast food industry specialty labels may be used in identifying individual food products in typical sales transactions. The label roll may be formed of thermal paper for sequential printing of individual labels in a direct thermal printer. Or, a thermal transfer printer may also be used.
The typical pressure sensitive adhesive label includes full surface adhesive on its back side which may interfere with the handling thereof during the food preparation process. An individual label identifying the corresponding food product is removed from the printer by the user who typically wears sanitary gloves. The label may inadvertently bond to the gloves, and this increases the difficulty of placing the label on the packaging for the intended food product.
Furthermore, the liner material used in the label roll results in waste, and correspondingly affects the cost of the roll. Linerless label rolls are conventionally known in which the front surface of the label web may be coated with a suitable release material, such as silicone, for providing an integrated liner in the web itself without the need for an additional liner sheet.
However, as the linerless web is unwound in the printer, the back side adhesive is exposed to the various parts of the printer and can inadvertently bond thereto leading to undesirable jamming of the printer.
Furthermore, the printer may include a typical cutting knife or cutting bar for cutting individual labels from the continuous web. The exposed adhesive on the linerless label roll therefore permits adhesive buildup on these cutting elements during prolonged operation of the printer.
Adhesive buildup on any of the various components of the printer contacting the adhesive side of the label is undesirable because it requires periodic cleaning or other maintenance to avoid printer jamming, which may nevertheless occur.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved linerless label roll.